Earthworking implement.



J. R. BLACK.

EARTHWORKING IMPLEMENT.

AFPLICAHON FILED SEPT-18.1916.

' Patented June 12, 1917.

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EARTHWORKING IMPLEMENT.

Application filed September 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoHN RANDALL BLACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toulon, in the county of Stark and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Earthworking Implements; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to agricultural implements of the class known as mulshers or pulverizers.

The object of the invention is to provide an implement of this character so constructed as to produce a maximum pulverization of the earth and yet be of minimum lightness. 1

Another object is to provide an implement of this character embodying a particularly effective form and construction of re volving roller which may be cheaply manufactured and accurately built, and in which the pulverizing elements while constituting efficient pulverizers, also operate to insure rotation of the roller, thereby assisting the work of the cleaners and rendering it possible to use the machine in sticky soil.

Another object is to provide an improved form of pulverizing element for a roller of this character so constructed as to insure its accurate and uniform positioning in the roller.

Another object is to provide an improved cleaner for use in connection with a roller of this character. I j

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing this improved mulsher connected with a'plow;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through one of the rollers;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one end of the roller;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1%, 191?.

Serial No. 120,791.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one .of the cleaning members;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation different form of staple.

The pulverizer constituting this invention comprises a roller supporting frame 1 composed of two rigidly connected open sections 2 and 3, here shown U-shaped with the cross bar 4 of section 2 fixedly connected to the free end of the inner arm 5 of section 3 at a point adjacent the arm 7 of section 2. An arcuate bar 8 is connected at one end of section 3, the inner arm 5 of said section being preferably made integral with said bar, and said arm is connected at its other end with the section 2 at the unction of the arm. 8 thereof with the cross bar 4, and is preferably made integral with this section.

It will thus be seen that a frame of particular construction is provided involving two substantially U-shaped sections disposed one in the rear of the other and having diverging axes, one end of the forward section being disposed adjacent the opposite end of the rear section, and the inner ends of both sections being arranged in advance of their outer ends.

Mounted in the sections 2 and 3 of the frame 1 are pulverizing rollers 10 and 20 which to render them as light as possible are constructed of cylindrical wooden blocks each having metal reinforcing bands 11 around the periphery thereof at its opposite ends. These bands operate to prevent splitting of the cylinder. Journals 12 are driven into the opposite ends of the cylindrical blocks and which are mounted in suitable bearings in the frame sections 2 and 3.

These rollers 10 and 20 are provided with. pulverizing elements in the form of steel or iron staples or teeth 13 which are arranged in longitudinally spaced annular rows around the periphery of each drum, the staples of each row being arranged with their legs disposed transversely or peripherally of the roller in transverse alinement with each other and with those of the other staples of the row. The openings of. the looped ends of the staples are arranged in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the roller.

The form of staple 13, shown in Fig. 3 has two legs, while those 13 shown in Fig. 6 have three legs. These staples are con structed of substantially rectangular fiat of a slightly metal strips here shown arcuate" and having legs or prongs 14 extending laterally from the concave edges thereof and in the same plane therewith. These strips having squared outer corners and the legs or prongs 13 are provided intermediately of their ends with stops in the form of shoulders 15 which are designed for limiting the insertion of the legs of the staple within the block, thereby securing accuracy in the depth of the insertion of the individual. staples, thus providing for the uniform positioning of the earth engaging loop-shaped ends thereof, it being desirable that these ends be arranged in alinemcnt. This shoulderiug of the staple legs also renders them stilfer and consequently more durable.

These concentric rows of longitudinally spaced pulverizing elements form scraping blades, providing between them annular earth receiving chambers 13 which are designed to receive the earth which is crowded thereinto when the implement is drawn over the plowed field, more or less of the earth passing through the loop-shaped ends of the staples which facilitates the pulverization thereof.

Secured to the cross bar 4 of section 2 and the cross bar 3 of section 8, are cleaners 16 which are made in sections as shown clearly in Fig. 5, each section comprising two blades or fingers 17 with a slot 18 between them through which the staples of one of the rows is designed to pass. Each section is provided with an attaching plate having two bolt openings 19 in the form of transversely arranged slots for securing it to the cross bar to which it is to be attached, whereby it is securely held against sidewise shifting, the fingers extending at an obtuse angle from one edge of said plate. By forming each section with two fingers or blades, a more perfect adjustment of the fingers may be obtained.

The frame 1 with the rollers 10 and 20 mounted therein constitutes a unit which may be employed either as an attachment for connection to a plow or it may be used individually, or a number of units may be connected and employed as a separate machine, being drawn over the earth by any suitable power.

The frame 1 may be provided with any suitable means for connecting it with a plow or to a traction engine for drawing it over the ground, but as this forms no part of the present invention, such means will not be herein described.

In the use of this implement when it is drawn over the surface to be worked the rollers or cylinders 10 and 20 being positioned with their axes diverging toward the front causes the blades formed by the annular series of staples to exert a scraping or leveling action on the plowed earth Without causing undue friction on the rollers and at the same time the chambers formed loctween these concentric rows of staples accumulate the earth so scraped and this earth is retained therein until ejected by the scraping fingers 17 which force it outin a pulverized condition, thus cleaning the chambers on each revolution of the rollers and forming a mulsh which is spread over the surface over which the rollers are drawn.

I claim:

1. An earth working roller having a plurality of longitudinally spaced peripheral rows of teeth, the teeth of each row being peripherally alined and each tooth being in the form of a substantially rectangular fiat metal strip projecting radially from the roller, and arranged lengthwise around the circumference thereof, the teeth of each row having their ends spaced slightly apart and their flat faces arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the roller, the teeth of one row being in staggered relation to those of adjacent rows.

2. An earth working roller having a plurality of peripherally arranged, longitudinally spaced, rows of teeth, the teeth of each row being in peripheral alinement and each tooth being in the form of a flat arcuate metal strip having squared outer corners and roller engaging prongs extending laterally from the concave inner edge of the strip and in the same plane therewith, shoulders formed at the bases of said prongs to limit their insertion in the roller, said shoulders being spaced from the concave edge of the strip to formaspace between said edge and the periphery of the roller, said teeth being arranged lengthwise around the periphery of the roller, with the spaces be tween their prongs disposed parallel with the longitudinal axis of the roller, the teeth in one row being in staggered relation to those of adjacent rows.

3. The combination with a supporting frame, a roller revolubly mounted therein and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced annular rows of flat teeth with annular earth receiving'chambers between them, the flat faces of the teeth being arranged in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the roller, one member of said frame being in the form of a flat bar disposed in a plane above the plane of the longitudinal axis of said roller and extending longitudinally relatively thereto, of a plurality of cleaners carried by said bar and extending into said chambers, each cleaner consisting of a transversely slotted attaching plate for adjustable connection with the lower face of said bar and having laterally spaced cleaning fingers extending from one edge thereof at an obtuse angle, the In testimony whereof I have hereunto set space between said fingers being sufficient my hand in the presence of two subscribing for the passage between the fingers of the witnesses.

teeth of one of said rows, one finger extend- JOHN RANDALL BLACK. 5 ing into the chamber at one side of the row Witnesses:

straddled by the cleaner, and the other into ROY D. K101),

the chamber at the other side of said row. PAULINE OLSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). C. 

